1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to candles. More specifically, the invention relates to wicks which are placed on a candle to prolong the candle's life and efficiently utilize the candle's wax.
2. Prior Art
Candles and the manufacture of candles are well known in the art. To make an ordinary cylindrically shaped candle, a stationary wick is placed into the center of a candle mold. The stationary wick is a wax coated string made of cotton, nylon or other cloth material. The wick is attached to an overhead rod which is placed over the mold to hold the wick in the place as molten paraffin is poured into the mold and as the paraffin hardens. Once the candle paraffin has completely hardened, the wick is snipped from the rod and a finished candle is made.
Taper candles are made by a slightly different procedure. A wick is dipped a plurality of times into liquid paraffin. After each coat of paraffin dries, it is re-dipped until the desired thickness of the candle is obtained.
There are many problems caused by the wicks in these prior art candles. For example, when a flame on an ignited wick is smothered, the wick may drown itself in the candle wax that has melted around it while the wick was lit. The next time the candle is to be used, the molten candle wax will have hardened over the wick and in order to use the candle, the wick will have to be found and "dug out" of the hardened wax. Another problem that may arise after an ignited wick is smothered is that the wick may continue to burn down into the candle wax such that the end of the wick will be deep within the candle wax and not be able to be lit the next time the candle is to be used. A much more general problem inherent in most candles is that a wick will burn to the bottom or along one side of the candle such that approximately eighty percent (80%) of the candle wax has not melted. The remaining wax cannot be used since there is no longer a wick to burn it.
A new improved wick was invented in 1976 by the inventor of the present application which comprises a pipe cleaner coated with a wax containing no additives. The wick is shaped such that it has a circular base with a vertical section extending therefrom. The improved wick overcomes many of the problems inherent in the prior art, but it only burns up to for 15 hours not for the 25 or more hours required for emergency situations. Furthermore, the wick often gave off dark colored emissions and thus was aesthetically unpleasing.
Therefore, an improved wick which will prevent wick burnout, utilize over 100% of the candle wax and burn for over 25 hours would be a substantial advance in the art.